Lay control transmission for roving frames



y 1963 J. G. WILLYAMSON, JR 3,089,302

LAY CONTROL TRANSMISSION FOR ROVING FRAMES Filed Sept. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 )7 INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS y 1963 J. G. WILLIAMSON, JR 3,089,302

LAY CONTROL TRANSMISSION FOR ROVING FRAMES Filed Sept. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \5 i m"? J 4 H I I 8 JOHN G.W\LL\AM50N,JR

92 94 9O \Y mMA-JH W ATTORNEYS 3,989,302 LAY CUNIRGL TRANSMISSION FDR ROVING FRAMES John G. Williamson, .Irz, Charlotte, N.C., assignor to Perfecting Service (Jornpany, Charlotte, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Sept. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 139,486 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-96) This invention relates to roving frames, also known as fiy frames, and more especially, to an improved lay control transmission for transmitting reciprocatory traverse motion from the usual reversible lay train drive shaft or lifter drive shaft to the bobbin lifter shaft of a roving frame.

As is well known, conventional roving frames are provided with a builder motion for varying the range of vertical reciprocatory traverse motion imparted to the rotating bobbins thereof while strands of roving are directed to the bobbins from drafting rolls through rotating fiyers. In order to change the speed of the traverse motion of the bobbins, commonly known as the lay speed, in accordance with changes in the size or hank number and fiber characteristics of the roving, a lay control transmission commonly known as a lay train and including a series of intermeshing spur gears, has been provided heretofore for transmitting rotation from the builder motion to the bobbin lifter shaft. One of the spur gears of said series has been a change gear, and as many as five other spur gears have generally been included in the lay train.

The bobbin lifter shaft necessarily rotates at a substantially slower speed than the lifter drive shaft on which the change gear is mounted, so that there is considerable lost motion or back-lash between the change gear and the lifter shaft each time the direction of rotation thereof is reversed by the builder motion; i.e., at the beginning of each vertical stroke of the bobbins in each direction. Such lost motion cannot be entirely eliminated in the conventional lay gear train, because a certain minimum running clearance must be provided between the teeth of adjacent intermeshing gears. This running clearance is accumulative where there are three or more gears in series relationship so that the greater the number of gears in the gear train, the greater the amount of lost motion between the input gear and the output gear.

The conventional lay train is a form of gear reduction unit, and it follows therefore that the large number of gears in the conventional lay train, coupled with the low output speed thereof as compared to its input speed, causes the output gear to remain at a standstill for a short interval of time each time the direction of rotation of the input gear is reversed and, in turn, causes the bobbins to have an undesirable dwell at the end of each traversing stroke thereof. This lost motion is further aggravated as the gears become worn, notwithstanding the fact that replacement of the gears in the lay train, after they have become excessively worn, is an expensive and time-consuming operation.

It is well known that any delay in reversing the direction of movement of the bobbins at the. end of each traverse stroke thereof results in erratic positioning of the coils of roving near the ends of the bobbins, so the roving wound thereon would slough off the ends of the bobbins and become entangled in subsequent handling and processing. Whenever the roving sloughs off the ends of the packages thus formed and becomes entangled, the roving packages cannot be used and, therefore, must be reprocessed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective means to insure instantaneous response of the lifter shaft to changes in the direction of rotation of the builder-controlled lifter drive shaft.

3,h9,3fi2 Patented May 14, 1963 In its preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises an improved lay control transmission including a sprocket and a chain transmission connecting the lay control jack shaft to the lifter shaft. The jack shaft has a relatively large gear thereon engaged by the lay change gear fixed on the builder-controlled lifter drive shaft. The chain is preferably of the silent type and is held in tight engagement with the driving and driven sprocket wheels by an adjustable idler sprocket wheel, thus avoiding any lost motion between the jack shaft and the lifter shaft whenever the direction of rotation of the lifter drive shaft is reversed, and eliminating the many spur gears required heretofore between the jack shaft and the lifter shaft, while retaining the interchangeability of change gears to produce lay speeds proportional to the bobbin speed and consonant with the bank number and fiber characteristics of the roving.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a portion of a roving frame equipped with my improved lay control transmission;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the improved lay control transmission of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the lay control transmission looking at the left-hand side of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the transmission as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram of various operating parts of the roving frame showing the improved lay control transmission in association therewith.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the present invention is shown in association with a roving frame of the type manufactured by a well-known American textile manufacturer, but may be applied to other types of roving frames with equal facility and without material modification of such roving frames. The illustration of FIGURE 5 is similar to illustrations provided in many catalogues and instruction booklets issued by the manufacturers of roving frames and are well known in most textile mills. Thus, the conventional elements illustrated in FIGURE 5 may be readily recognized by those familiar with the art and only those parts of the conventional roving frame which are necessary to a clear understanding of the present invention will be described.

Referring to FIGURE 5, in particular, strands of roving R pass from the usual drafting rolls 10 through flyers 11 (FIGURES 1 and 5) to bobbins 12. Only one of each of the fiyers 11 and bobbins 12 are shown in FIG- URE 5 and two of each of the flyers 11 and bobbins 12 are shown in FIGURE 1. Each tlyer 11 is mounted on the upper end of a spindle 13 which loosely extends through the corresponding bobbin 12, is journaled in a bearing bracket 14, and [is supported, at its lower end, on a conventional step bearing 15. Bearings 15 are carried by a fixed spindle rail 16 supported on the frame structure 17 of the roving frame.

Each bobbin 1?; is positioned on a bolster or other support 20 having a gear 21 on its lower end which rests upon the corresponding bracket 14. Brackets 14 are carried by a conventional bolster rail or bobbin carriage 22 which has a plurality of followers 23 on the lower portion thereof, only one of which is shown, and each of which followers 23 is engaged by a pivoted lifter arm 24 having an arcuate rack 25 on its lower portion. Rack 25 engages a gear 26 fixed on a conventional bobbin lifter shaft 27 which is driven in a reciprocatory manner, by novel means to be later described, to thus impart vertical reciprocatory traversing motion to bobbin carriage 3 22 and bobbins 12 relative to the rotating fiyers 1ll and spindles 13.

It is well known that the fiyers 11 and bobbins 12 are driven to rotate at relatively varying speeds during the wind or run and that, generally, the flyers 11 rotate at a constant speed and the bobbins 12 rotate at a gradually decreasing speed during the run, in the same direction as and at a faster speed than the flyers .11. Accordingly, a description of the means for driving the flyers 11 and bobbins 12 is deemed unnecessary.

As is also well known, a roving frame includes a con ventional top cone shaft 30 which is driven at a constant speed through intervening connections with the main drive shaft 31. The top cone shaft 30 also transmits rotation to the drafting rolls 10 through the medium of gears 32. Top cone shaft 30 has a top cone 33 fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless belt 34 which also engages a bottom cone 35. Endless belt 34 is engaged by a belt shifter 36 which is shifted in a stepwise manner during the run to gradually decrease the speed of bottom cone '35 relative to top cone 33 during the run and to thus impart rotation, at gradually decreasing speeds, to a builder drive shaft 40 through intervening gears 41.

Builder drive shaft 40 drives a conventional builder motion, generally designated at 42. Builder motion 42 is also instrumental in moving the belt shifter 36 through the medium of a rack 37, to which belt shifter 36 is connected, and a series of tension change gears 44. One of the tension change gears 44 engages rack 37 and the other engages a worm 45 fixed on a conventional contact shaft or tumbler shaft 46 of the builder motion 42. Although the builder motion 42 is conventional, it will be described so that the operation of the lifter drive shaft of the lay transmission may be clearly understood.

As shown in the lower left-hand portion of FIGURE 5, builder drive shaft 40 has a cone gear or bevel gear 50 fixed thereon which is alternately engaged by a pair of spaced twin bevel gears 51, 52 which are shifted to and fro by a reversing lever 53. Lever 53 is shifted to and fro by means of an eccentric cam 54 fixed on the lower end of tumbler shaft 46. Tumbler shaft 46 has a dog 55 fixed thereon which is provided with a pair of vertically spaced and oppositely directed arms or abutments s, t which alternately engage a pair of relatively adjustable builder jaws 56.

Builder jaws 56 are suitably guided for vertical adjustment relative to the frame structure 17 of the roving frame and are penetrated by respective oppositely threaded portions of a builder screw 57. Builder jaws 56 are raised and lowered with bobbin carriage 22 in a wellknown manner (FIGURE 1). As the builder jaws 56 move above and below the respective abutments s, t on builder dog 55, conventional resilient means, not shown, but associated with cam 54, causes the teeth of a missingtooth gear 60, fixed on the upper end of tumbler shaft 46, to engage a bevel gear 61 fixed on top cone shaft 30.

Since top cone shaft 30 and bevel gear 61 are continuously driven during each winding cycle, a half revolution is imparted to tumbler shaft 46 to cause the other of the two arms s, t to engage the corresponding builder jaw '56 as an area of missing teeth on gear 64 registers with gear 61. In so doing, cam 54 (FIGURE moves reversing lever 53 and shifts interconnected twin gears 51, 52 in the corresponding direction, thus reversing the direction of movement of the bobbin carriage 22. This procedure is reversed each time the builder jaws 56 move beyond the corresponding arms s or t during vertical reciprocation thereof. :It follows that a partial or half revolution is imparted to tumbler shaft 46 at the end of each vertical stroke of the bobbin rail 22 in each direction.

Rack 37 is engaged by one of a pair of gears 62, the other of which engages a gear 63, for imparting stepwise rotation to builder screw 57 and to thus move builder jaws 56 toward each other at the end of each stroke of bobbin carriage 22 in each direction. This gradually reduces the range of vertical reciprocatory movement imparted to the bobbin carriage 22 and bobbins 12.

In FIGURE 5, it will be observed that twin gears 51, 52 are keyed on a shaft 65 having a bevel gear 66 thereon which meshes with a bevel gear 67 fixed on a shaft 70. Shaft 70 has a spur gear 71 fixed thereon which meshes with a spur gear 72 fixed on a lifter drive shaft or lay transmission drive shaft 73. Shaft 73 is journaled in an upright frame member or Sampson 74 of frame structure 1'7 and extends through one wall of an open bottomed transmission housing 75 within which the im* proved bobbin lifter transmission is disposed, and which will now be described in detail.

As heretofore stated, reciprocatory motion has been transmitted from the lifter drive shaft to the lifter shaft of conventional roving frames through the medium of a large number of intermeshing gears commonly known as a lay train and, due to the fact that the lifter shaft 27 must rotate at a substantially slower speed than the lifter drive shaft, there has been considerable lost motion between the lifter drive shaft and the lifter shaft each time the direction of rotation thereof was reversed by the builder motion. This has resulted in erratic positioning of the coils of roving at the tapered ends of the bobbins so the roving wound thereon would slough off the ends of the bobbins and become entangled in subsequent handling and processing and would require that the roving wound on the bobbins be reprocessed.

In order to permit adjustment of the speed of the lifter shaft 27 "and thereby produce a lay speed which is consonant with the bank number and fiber characteristics of the roving, I have retained only two of the gears generally used in the lifter shaft transmission, namely an input change gear 76 and a mating, relatively large, bull gear 77 fixed on a jack shaft 80. As is well known, bull gear 77 is conventionally adjustably mounted so that it may be adjusted toward and away from lifter drive shaft to accommodate change gears 76 of different sizes to effect the desired lay speed, as heretofore explained.

The jack shaft 80 is journaled in an adjustable bearing block 81 which extends forwardly and is pivotally mounted on a stationary shaft 82 fixed in a Sampson 83 spaced from Sampson 74. Shaft 82 is also fixed in a substantially U-shaped stationary bracket 85 suitably secured to Sampson 74 of frame structure 17. Bearing block 81 has an arcuate slot 86 in the upper portion thereof penetrated by a bolt 87 for adjustably securing bearing block 81 to bracket 85.

A relatively small sprocket wheel 90, fixed on the end of jack shaft 80 opposite from bull gear 77, is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 91, preferably of the silent type as shown. Sprocket chain 91 also engages a sprocket wheel 92 which is larger than sprocket wheel 90. Sprocket wheel 92 is preferably of the split type, so that it may be easily mounted on and removed from lifter shaft 27.

In order to maintain taut the sprocket chain 91, and thereby maintain the same tightly in engagement with sprocket wheels 90, 92, the upper run of sprocket chain 91 is engaged by an idler sprocket wheel 94 journaled on an eccentric cam 95. Cam 95 is fixed on the stationary shaft 82 by any suitable means, such as a set screw 96.

It is apparent that, by rotatably adjusting cam 95 about the shaft 82, the axis of idler sprocket wheel 95 may be adjusted toward or away from the upper run of sprocket chain 91 to thereby increase or decrease the tension in the sprocket chain 91, thus insuring that the sprocket chain 91 may be held in tight engagement with sprocket wheels 99, 92 at all times.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the builder motion 42 transmits rotation to the lifter drive shaft 73 in opposite directions, in alternation. In so doing, change gear 76 drives bull gear 77, jack shaft 80 and sprocket wheel 99, so that sprocket wheel 90, chain 91 and sprocket wheel 92 impart rotation to the lifter shaft 27, at a reduced speed, and in opposite directions. Since bull gear 77 may be adjusted in close engagement with change gear 76, and the endless sprocket chain 91 is maintained in tight engagement with sprocket wheels 90, 92, there is no back-lash or lost motion between the lifter drive shaft 73 and the lifter shaft 27 at the beginning of each change in the direction of rotation. Consequently, there is no undesirable dwell in the movement of the bobbin carriage 22 and bobbins 12 at the beginning of each stroke thereof in each direction, thus insuring that the strands of roving R are uniformly wound on the bobbins 12 at the tapered ends of the packages being formed without adjacent coils of roving overlapping each other, and thus obviating one of the most prevalent causes for sloughing of the roving off the ends of the bobbins 12 during subsequent operations, such as in spinning.

It is thus seen that I have provided a simple and effective means for transmitting rotation from the lifter drive shaft to the lifter shaft of a roving frame while obviating the occurrence of back-lash or lost motion between the lifter drive shaft and the lifter shaft at the beginning of each change in the direction of rotation thereof and which transmission means obviates the necessity of utilizing a large number of expensive gears which would have to be replaced from time to time as they became Worn.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a roving frame having rotating flyers for traversing roving onto relatively rotating spools, a carriage for said spools, a lifter shaft, means for transmitting reciprocatory traversing movement from said lifter shaft to said carriage, a builder motion, and a lifter drive shaft driven to rotate in one direction and the opposite direction in alternation by said builder motion; the combination therewith of means for transmitting reciprocatory motion from the lifter drive shaft to the lifter shaft comprising (a) a jack shaft extending substantially parallel with the lifter shaft and the lifter drive shaft,

(b) change gear means transmitting rotation from the lifter drive shaft to the jack shaft,

(c) a pair of sprocket wheels fixed on the jack shaft and the lifter shaft, respectively, and

(d) an endless sprocket chain engaging said sprocket wheels.

2. A structure according to claim 1, including (a) a stationary shaft spaced between said sprocket wheels,

(12) an eccentric cam mounted for rotary adjustment on and in eccentric relation to said stationary shaft, and

(c) an idler sprocket wheel journaled on said eccentric cam and engaging said chain whereby rotary adjustment of said cam adjusts said idler sprocket wheel relative to said pair of sprocket wheels to control the tension in said chain.

3. In a roving frame having rotating flyers for traversing roving onto relatively rotating spools, a carriage for said spools, a lifter shaft, means for transmitting reciprocatory traversing movement from said lifter shaft to said carriage, a builder motion, and a 'li-fter drive shaft driven to rotate in one direction and the opposite direction in alternation by said builder motion; the combination of means for transmitting reciprocatory motion from the 'lifter drive shaft to the lifter shaft comprising (a) a jack extending substantially parallel with the lifter shaft and the lifter drive shaft,

(b) a change gear fixed on said drive shaft,

(c) a bull gear fixed on said jack shaft,

(d) a stationary shaft spaced in parallel relation from said jack shaft,

(e) a bracket mounted for pivotal adjustment on said stationary shaft and in which said jack shaft is journaled whereby said jack shaft and bull gear may be adjusted toward and away from said drive shaft to accommodate change gears of different sizes,

(1) a pair of sprocket wheels fixed on the jack shaft and the lifter shaft, respectively,

(g) an endless sprocket chain engaging said sprocket wheels,

(h) an eccentric cam mounted for rotary adjustment on said stationary shaft, and

(i) an idler sprocket wheel journaled on said cam and engaging said sprocket chain whereby said idle-r sprocket wheel may be adjusted toward and away from said chain to maintain the same taut and to prevent back-lash between the drive shaft and the lifter shaft upon occurrence of each change in the direction of rotation thereof.

4. Apparatus for transmitting reciprocatory motion from a builder-driven reciprocating drive shaft to a bobbin lifter shaft of a roving frame comprising (a) a bracket mounted for adjustment adjacent to and toward and away from said drive shaft,

(12) a jack shaft journaled in said bracket,

(c) a change gear fixed on said drive shaft,

(d) a bull gear fixed on said jack shaft and meshing with said change gear,

(e) first and second sprocket wheels fixed on said jack shaft and said lifter shaft, respectively,

(f) an endless sprocket chain engaging and interconnecting said first and second sprocket wheels, and

(g) means for taking up any slack in and maintaining taut the chain comprising (1) an idler wheel engaging one of the runs of said chain,

(2) an eccentric on which said idler wheel is rotatably mounted, and

(3) means adjustably supporting said eccentric for adjustment about an axis olf-set with respect to the axis of said idler wheel whereby said idler wheel may be adjusted toward and away from said chain for adjusting the tension in said chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 976,545 Campbell Nov. 22, 1910 1,486,831 Brook Mar. 11, 1924 2,548,719 Goodgame Apr. 10, 1951 

1. IN A ROVING FRAME HAVING ROTATING FLYERS FOR TRAVERSING ROVING ONTO RELATIVELY ROTATING SPOOLS, A CARRIAGE FOR SAID SPOOLS, A LIFTER SHAFT, MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING RECIPROCATORY TRAVERSING MOVEMENT FROM SAID LIFTER SHAFT TO SAID CARRIAGE, A BUILDER MOTION, AND A LIFTER DRIVE SHAFT DRIVEN TO ROTATE IN ONE DIRECTION AND THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IN ALTERNATION BY SAID BUILDER MOTION; THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING RECIPROCATORY MOTION FROM THE LIFTER DRIVE SHAFT TO THE LIFTER SHAFT COMPRISING (A) A JACK SHAFT EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE LIFTER SHAFT AND THE LIFTER DRIVE SHAFT, (B) CHANGE GEAR MEANS TRANSMITTING ROTATION FROM THE LIFTER DRIVE SHAFT TO THE JACK SHAFT, (C) A PAIR OF SPROCKET WHEELS FIXED ON THE JACK SHAFT AND THE LIFTER SHAFT, RESPECTIVELY, AND (D) AN ENDLESS SPROCKET CHAIN ENGAGING SAID SPROCKET WHEELS. 